tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5508796509243521674.post2918858210737013892..comments2017-04-18T09:03:38.538+05:30Comments on The Views Expressed By The Author Are Personal: Notes on the Patriarchal Moral-political Economy: Hindutva, Fascism & the masculine politics of dominationProshanthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14768709157175259346noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5508796509243521674.post-49438717463047365672013-11-22T04:21:33.222+05:302013-11-22T04:21:33.222+05:30I have always believed that there are no born hero...I have always believed that there are no born heroes.They are always the product of situations.And people for that matter who preach morality and ethics should be utmost care full not to be vindictive or self-righteous. Truth is what would I do if a friend whom I know for the last twenty years and also his family who is about to be married tells me that he has under the influence of alcohol tried to sexually assault a subordinate at work place and repents in front of you and you know he is not a repeat offender.Difficult to answer.shall I destroy him and his family for the sake of justice.As I said I won&#39;t because I am no hero.but those who preach idealism our conscience keepers should at least have the courage to say publicly that something grave has happened.I feel sorry for Shoma because of her predicament.But alas she turned out to be another me.<br />Sorry to say but idealists are a lonely bunch.They don&#39;t have friends only followers.mituhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11480992049806696488noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5508796509243521674.post-64686644488166352442013-11-04T01:36:03.570+05:302013-11-04T01:36:03.570+05:30Exactly, Parth. But there&#39;s a few clarificatio...Exactly, Parth. But there&#39;s a few clarifications I would like to make, in addition to the arguments in the post.<br /><br />Firstly, when I speak of a feminist politics (as opposed to masculine politics of domination), I&#39;d like to clarify that I do not mean so in terms of rigid gender binaries. It is, in fact, more informed by a post-feminist understanding; as I put it, feminist politics is one where there isn&#39;t an assumption of a stable feminine subject/object. In fact, it attempts to extrapolate the specificities of feminist theory into a wider, more contemporary politics.<br /><br />Secondly, while I agree that micro-struggles like the Pink Chaddi campaign are important the thing with micro-level movements is that they are rich, dense with meanings on that level, with those specific objectives - and run the risk of erasing other concerns (criticisms of elitism, racist, classist and so forth). Hence, there is a need to think of the whole spectrum of feminist theory AND movement, to situate it better in understanding contemporary politics. <br /><br />Thanks for the comment; they&#39;re most appreciated.Proshanthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14768709157175259346noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5508796509243521674.post-48341596619848337982013-11-03T14:23:33.786+05:302013-11-03T14:23:33.786+05:30I enjoyed reading your critical essay. As with the...I enjoyed reading your critical essay. As with these forecasts of patriarchal dominance - in specific - it would be interesting to observe the resistant discourses that would attempt to negotiate power. For example, if you remember, there was this Pink Chaddi campaign to counter Pramod Muthalik&#39;s idea of the anti-Valentine&#39;s Day. Yes, I need to concede here that these ideas of modernity and cultural nationalism are both problematic and cannot be taken at face value.Parth J Davehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07212629921329746826noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5508796509243521674.post-45888600204730033022013-11-03T05:38:41.503+05:302013-11-03T05:38:41.503+05:30As always, thanks for your comments, Pratik.
Wel...As always, thanks for your comments, Pratik. <br /><br />Well, about your second question: true, our views of dictatorships are too invested in models/ideas of western political thought. An indigenous critique, or understanding, of totalitarian aspirations (let&#39;s say, in South Asia, for instance) would certainly be very interesting. But at the same time, I think there is a move towards this regard: for example Zizek&#39;s &quot;capitalism with Asian values&quot; (aren&#39;t there studies on dictatorships in Cambodia, Myanmar?). And I really like your take on &quot;worthy dictators&quot;.<br /><br />Now, about Modi: true, I am unsure of how Modi&#39;s image would fare in regional politics; because in that micro-space, the functioning of politics is truly befuddling (for instance, despite Mamata&#39;s hysterics, TMC did manage to clinch the Panchayat elections and the by-elections). So, that, for me, would also undermine the weightage we tend to give meta-figures like Modi.<br /><br />About your third point: exactly! Modi, if he does come to power, will be constrained by the realities and limitations of material conditions and policy structures. From a purely academic standpoint, it&#39;ll be interesting to see how his technocratic Janus-faced politics (as opposed to the Congress&#39;) can merge with the Sangh&#39;s syncretic politics, to represent a wholly different Indian policy. But, I think we&#39;re all well aware that this could have potentially disastrous consequences. Or, maybe none at all.<br /><br />Cheers.Proshanthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14768709157175259346noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5508796509243521674.post-53742148200078226872013-11-02T23:11:56.078+05:302013-11-02T23:11:56.078+05:30Beautiful post! Insightful, inciting.
There are t...Beautiful post! Insightful, inciting.<br /><br />There are three things I&#39;m looking forward to: firstly, a meticulous calculation of how modi fares against the regional parties. My guess is that many of these smaller pillars might crumble when the roof collapses (like deve gowda has in karanataka), but overall the federated structure will remain. Secondly, I&#39;m looking forward to certian kinds of population to become more politicized: people who describe themselves as &quot;apolitical,&quot; migrant populations, the diversity of identities that have sprung into prominence over the limited liberalism that&#39;s been around, the left might see sense and move towards unity, so on. Difficult to say HOW they would politicize, but my guess is they will not be pleased with the system that&#39;s already partially in place and promises to intensify with modi&#39;s ascent. Thirdly, I&#39;m not sure how far the silicon dream that modi is will be realized (or felt to be realized) given that material conditions are not as farfetched as his claims might require them to be.<br /><br />That much aside, I have this particular question to ask: there&#39;s an unfair tilt in our view of dictatorships towards those of the second world war. In fact, there&#39;s a gaping dearth of serious reference to the dictatorships in pakistan, which (if such special interest is justified) hold special interest by virtue of similar conditions. In speaking of hitler and mussolini, we tend to revitalize the gaping personality of those guys over other, worthy dictators.Pratik Alihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16988656443471823063noreply@blogger.com